Joseph M. “Joe” Prete

JOSEPH M. “JOE” PRETE

HORNELL-Joseph M. “Joe” Prete, 69 of 5 Marshall Ave., passed away Saturday morning (Jan. 30, 2010) at St. James Mercy Hospital in Hornell, after a courageous battle with cancer.
Born at St. James Mercy Hospital on March 21, 1940, he was a son of the late Rosario and Philmoena Scaglione Prete.
A graduate of St. Ann’s School and Hornell High School, class of 1958, Joe was also a 1960 graduate of the Bryant and Stratton Business Institute in Buffalo where he received an associate’s degree in sales marketing and business management.
After graduation he was employed for a short period of time for the New York State Department of Mental Health in West Seneca before he began his employment with the Dipson Theater chain and became the assistant manager of the Center Theater in Buffalo and later the manger of the Little Theater in Rochester. With the decline in business of the “old” theaters, Joe left that business and became employed as a sales representative with the former Hornell Wholesale Co. He was able to make many friends and acquaintances throughout the area because of his employment with the Hornell Wholesale Co. Later be became the steward of the Hornell Knights of Columbus and most recently was employed by Covered Wagon in Hornell.
A member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish, Joe was a communicant of St. Ann’s Church and a former member of the Hornell Council No. 243, Knights of Columbus.
Joseph, while gruff in his actions, was a kind, loving and generous person who would give the shirt off his back to someone in need.
His family includes his three brothers, John (Patricia) Prete of Hornell, Francis (Cecelia) Prete of San Francisco, Calif. and George (Patricia) Prete of Arkport; also his 13 nieces and nephews as well as 25 great-nieces and nephews who were all Joe’s family and whom he loved very much and they in turn loved their uncle very much.
Calling hours are from 4-8 p.m. Thursday at the Bishop & Johnson Funeral Home, Inc.. 285 Main St., Hornell. Friends are invited to meet his family at St. Ann’s Church where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Friday. Committal prayers and interment will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Town of Fremont.
It was Joe’s request that those wishing would donate financial assistance to someone that was ill or memorial contributions may be made to either St. Ann’s School or Our Lady of the Valley Parish, 27 Erie Ave., Hornell; the Hornell High School Alumni Assoc. PO Box 135 Hornell or to the Hornell Area Humane Society, PO Box 533, Hornell, NY 14843. Envelopes for memorial contributions will be available at the funeral home.

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